At 25-years-old, Bosley is a ‘public servant, not a politician’

There are two characteristics that LaKeySha Frazier Bosley has in spades: passion and determination. The 25-year-old from St. Louis wants to transfer the traits that have gotten her to where she is in life to the Missouri House of Representatives.

She wants to help people. She wants to better her city. She wants to move Missouri forward.

“It is going to be an uphill battle. And it is going to be a battle that is needed to be fought,” said Bosley. “So for me, to have the heart to do this and actually want to do this, that is a powerful thing.”

In the August primary election, Bosley came out on top to become the Democratic nominee for the 79th Missouri House District. And that is just the latest in a list of achievements for the 25-year-old.

She is a certified nursing assistant, has a degree in business administration, and is a small business owner — two apparel lines and a t-shirt printing company — while being a community activist and volunteer.

Determination and motivation are the traits to which Bosley credits with accomplishing so much at this stage in her life.

“I’ve led with my heart. My heart and my head, always,” she said.

And it’s the combination of leading with head and heart that makes a public servant, according to Bosley. She noted that a lot of times we have people who get into politics for the wrong reasons.

“I am a public servant, not a politician,” said Bosley. “It’s always people first. They are the ones who elect us, they are the ones whose lives are on the line every single day, and they are the ones we really need to put in the forefront of our thoughts at all times.

“Leading with my heart is a big thing, but I also have the knowledge and educational background to lead with my mind.”

There are a number of issues that Bosley wants to tackle as a legislator in the General Assembly. She wants to focus on criminal justice reform, education, healthcare, and economic development.

“They all correlate to each other,” Bosley noted. “It’s making sure everyone has the equal opportunity to prosper.”

Having access to quality and affordable education, quality and affordable health care, and good paying jobs can make all the difference in someone’s life, Bosley said.

But as part of the super-minority party, a path to major accomplishments is riddled with obstacles.

“It’s all about relationships. You have to build relationships. Being in the minority, you can’t get anything done without working with across the [aisle],” said Bosley. “That doesn’t mean you have to compromise your soul or sell your soul, as people say.

“What we are running into a lot of times, is people not realizing that we all want to better Missouri, we all want to move our city, our state, our districts forward. But we all just have different ways of how and what that looks like. It is finding a medium, it is finding the middle ground to push through.”

And Bosley would be able to work with the foundation laid by term-limited Rep. Michael Butler, whom she is hoping to replace. She noted that he did a good work, that she looks to him and what he accomplished as a foundation to work from — though Bosley pointed out that she is her own person, with her own approach and goals.

But the ultimate goal of is to pass “good legislation and being a good legislator.”

“We are moving in the right direction as a state. We are electing powerful people who view Missouri as a gem because it is. It is one of the best-kept secrets in the world,” said Bosley. “I love my state, I love my city. I think — I know — that with the right steps, the right attitude, and passing the right legislation we will be the biggest thing ever in the entire country.”

Bosley will face Libertarian candidate Dan Elder on November 6 in the general election.

Alisha Shurr is a reporter for the Missouri Times and Missouri Times Magazine. She joined the Missouri Times in January 2018 after working as a copy editor for her hometown newspaper in Southern Oregon. Alisha is a graduate of Kansas State University. Contact Alisha at alisha@themissouritimes.com.

Alisha Shurr is a reporter for the Missouri Times and Missouri Times Magazine. She joined the Missouri Times in January 2018 after working as a copy editor for her hometown newspaper in Southern Oregon. Alisha is a graduate of Kansas State University. Contact Alisha at alisha@themissouritimes.com.